"My
words are easy to understand and very easy to apply. But no Ego is able to
understand them or apply them.

Words
have authority. Affairs have a history!

It
is simply because of their ignorance that Egos do not understand me.
Those who understand me are few, and thus I am ennobled.

For
this reason, Sages may wear homespun cloth over their shoulders, but they
carry a jewel beyond price in their heart."
- Translated by
Jerry C. Welch, 1998, Chapter 70

"Easy are my words to know, and also to practice.
Yet none is able to understand nor yet to practice them.
For there is a remote origin for my words, and a supreme law for my actions.
Not knowing these, men cannot know me.
Those who know me are few, and by them I am esteemed.
For the wise man is outwardly poor, but he carries his jewel in his bosom."
- Translated by
Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 70

My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice, yet
in all the world no one appears to understand them or to practice them.
Words have an ancestor (a preceding idea), deeds have a master (a preceding
purpose), and just as these are often not understood, so I am not understood.
They who understand me are very few, and on that account I am worthy of
honor.
The wise man wears wool (rather than silk) and keeps his gems out of
sight."
- Translated by
Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919, Chapter 70

"My words are very easy to understand,
And very easy to put into practice,
Yet there should have been no one in the world
Who can understand them
Or can put them into practice.
Words must be purpose-oriented,
Deeds must be reasonably grounded.
People cannot understand me
Because they fail to understand what is said above.
Those who understand me are few;
Those who can follow my advice are even less.
That is why the sage
Is always dressed in coarse cloth
But conceals about him a beautiful piece of jade (the Tao)."
- Translated by
Gu Zengkun, Chapter 70

"Though the words of the sage are simple,
and his actions easily performed,
they are few among many,
who can speak or act as a sage.

For the ordinary man it is difficult
to know the way of a sage,
perhaps because his words
are from the distant past,
and his actions naturally disposed.

Those who know the way of the sage
are few and far between,
but those who treat him with honesty,
will be honoured by him and the Tao.

He knows he makes no fine display,
and wears rough clothes, not finery.
It is not in his expectancy of men
that they should understand his ways,
for he carries his jade within his heart."
- Translated by
Stan Rosenthal,
1984, Chapter 70

"My words are so simple to understand
and so easily put into practice
that no one in all beneath heaven understands them
and no one puts them into practice.
Words have their ancestral origins and actions their sovereign:
it's only because people don't understand this that they don't understand me.
And the less people understand me the more precious I become.
So it is that a sage wears sackcloth, keeping pure jade harbored deep."
- Translated by
David Hinton,
Chapter 70

"My teaching is very easy to understand,
And very easy to carry out.
Yet the world is incapable of understanding it,
And incapable of carrying it out.
My teaching has an ancient source,
My practices have a ruling principle.
As people are ignorant of this,
So they fail to understand me.
When those who understand me are few,
Then I am distinguished indeed.
That's why the Sage wears a coarse cotton robe,
To conceal the jade ornament worn on his bosom."
- Translated by
Henry Wei, 1982, Chapter 70

"My words are easy to understand, easy to
put in practice; yet the world can neither understand nor
practice them.
My words have an underlying intent; my
actions have a ruling motive.
It is only ignorance that causes
men not to understand my doctrine.
Those who understand me are few; those
who copy me are worthy.
Wherefore the Sage dresses in coarse
robes while hiding a jewel in his breast."
- Translated by
Frederic Henry Balfour, 1884, Chapter 70